Reefing machine



Oct. 16, 1951 B. A. SHANNON REEFING MACHINE Filed Dec. 9, 194a INVEN TOR.

' BERT A. SHANNON ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 16, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE' TQ REEFING MACHINE 'BertA. Shannon, Long Beach, Calif. Application December 9,1946, Serial No. 715,127 1 Claim. (01. 262-13) (Granted under-the act of March 3, 1883, as I amended April 30, 1928; 370 O. G. 757) This invention relates to a reefing machine for digging out calking, oakum, pitch and the like from the cracks between planks on a ships deck.

In normal use of nautical vessels th 'material stuffed between the cracks in a deck plankin becomes dry, rotted or cracked, and must be removed for the insertion of fresh material. This removal operation is known as reefing, and has been accomplished in the past by means of a simple form of chisel held in the hand of a worker. By striking on the end of the reefing chisel while guiding the point in the crack, the old calking may be removed preparatory to insertion of new material.

This operation is not only slow but is very fatiguing, requiring frequent rest periods and leaving the worker exhausted at the end of the days work.

It is an object of this invention to provide a machine for quickly removing calking from the crack between planks of a ship's deck.

It is another object to provide such a machine that may be operated by a worker with a minimum of effort and resulting fatigue.

It is another object to provide such a machine adapted to use, as its power source, conventional pneumatic reciprocating means known in the art. It is another object to provide such a pneumatic powered machine on which the pneumatic means may be quickly and easily mounted and removed.

It is another object to provide a reefin bit especially designed to fit into the crack between planks of a ships deck for removing calking material therefrom.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the present invention, I have provided improved details of structure, the preferred forms of which are illustrated in the accompanyin drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of the complete apparatus of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a modified form of the invention;

Figs. 3 and 4 are end and side views, respectively, of one form of reefing bit adapted for use in the machine of Fig. 1; v

Figs. 5 and 6 are end and side views of another form of bit; and

Fig. 7 is a side elevation illustrating the manner in which the bit serves to remove calking material from a crack between planks of a ships deck.

The machine of this invention comprises a pneumatic hammer mounted on suitable carrying means for movement along the crack between 2 planks of a ships deck. The hammer receives a special reefing bit, and the two are disposed in a line approaching parallelism with the crackto be cleared of calking. Rapid and powerful re-- ciprocation of the bit by the hammer causes the end of the bit to drive rapidly against the calking in the crack forcing it from the crack as the hammer is moved forward along the crack.

If desired, a metal plate may be provided having a slot therein through which the end of the bit projects into the crack, for protecting the edges of the plank immediately adjacent the crack. In addition, if found desirable, resilient means such as a tension spring may be provided to hold the bit from slipping completely out of the hammer.

Referring in more detail to the drawing:

The complete machine is shown in Fig. 1 comprising a carrying means It having a pair. of elongated handles H and [2 extending upwardly from an axle i3 having Wheels I4 and I5 mounted thereon. A U-shaped supporting member l6, secured as by welding between handles H and I2 near the bottom thereof, aids in supporting a pneumatic hammer I1, the upper end I8 of which is hooked over a cross-piece l9 secured between handles II and I2. Into the operating end of pneumatic hammer I1 is placed a reefing bit 20, the lower end 2| of which has a bend therein and a shoulder member 22 with a surface approximately horizontal and facing the digging portion or blade 23 of bit 20.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 1 a metal shield 24 is shown mounted on axle l3 below bit 20, having a slot 25 through which blade 23 of bit 20 extends. This shield 24 serves both as a protector for the planks edges and as a guide for the bit 20. Because the shoulder 22 of the bit 20 reciprocates along the top surface of the shield 24,

marring of the planks by impact of the shoulder 22 on their surface, is prevented. In addition, the plate 24 serves to maintain the proper angle of attack of the bit relative to the planks and to prevent biting in of the bit. The resiliency of this shield may also serve to bias the bit toward the chuck of the air hammer l1. Energy for pneumatic hammer I1 is provided in the form of compressed air fed through hose 26, the application of which is controlled by a button 21. Control button 21 is in turn actuated by a lever member 28 actuated through a control rod or rope 29, operated by any suitable means preferably attached to the ends 30 and 3| of handles H and l 2.

It will be seen that rapid and powerful reciprocation of bit 20 by hammer l1 drives blade 3 23 of the bit back and forth in the crack, forcibly removing the calking material, as carrying means I is directed along the crack by an operator grasping ends 30 and 3| of handles II and I2, respectively.

In Fig. 2 is shown a modification of the invention having a pneumatic hammer I la, corresponding to hammer ll of Fig. 1, and a bit 20a, corresponding to hit 20, mounted therein; the modification of Fig. 2 does not have the protecting metal shield 24. In order to prevent bit 20a, which frequently is merely slipped into a hole in the chuck of the pneumatic hammer and not secured in any other manner, from being completely driven from pneumatic hammer Ila, a tension spring 32 is providedbetween bit 20a and axle 13a. The mounting of spring 32 on bit 20a is preferably accomplished through a ring 33 held from sliding on bit 20a by pegs 34 embedded therein. 1

In Figs. 3 and 4, an enlarged view of a particu lar form of reefing bit is shown. It will be noted that the bit 20b has a slight bend 35 therein and an enlarged portion 33 on the bottom end of which is a shoulder 22b. The surface of shoulder 22b is substantially parallel to the deck planking Referring to Fig. 7, the manner in which a bit, for example bit 20c, removes calking 31 from a crack 38 between planks will be evident. 230 extends through slot 25 in shield 24 and bit 20c is rapidly reciprocated by pneumatic hammer I1. This causes blade 230 to move back and forth in the crack removing the calking as shown at 39.

The bit is caused to move forward in the crack 38 by appropriate guiding of carrying means l0 along the crack.

In operation, an operator grasps handles l I and I2 and directs the point of blade 23 into the calk- Blade ing of the crack. He then pulls the rod 29 causing pressure on button 21 which applies air to pneumatic hammer IT. The resulting reciprocation of bit 20 drives blade 23 into the calking, digging it out from the crack. The operator then guides carrying means 10 along the crack, clearing the entire crack of calking to a desireddepth as determined by the character of blade 23 on bit 20.

While I have shown but certain embodiments of my invention, it is susceptible to further modification without departing from the spirit of the invention. I do not wish, therefore, to be limited by the disclosures set forth, but only by the scope of the appended claim.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

I claim:

A reefing machine comprising a pneumatic hammer, a reefing bit attached to said hammer and adapted to fit into the crack between the planks of a ship, a shoulder on said bit adjacent and generally facing one end thereof, a wheeled carrying means therefor, a planking shield stationarily mounted on said carrying means, said shield having a flat horizontally disposed portion with an elongated slot therein, said hammer and bit being so mounted on said carrying means that said bit extends through and is reciprocable within and has a component of movement longitudinally of said slot.

BERT A. SHANNON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 833,869 Bowen Oct. 23, 1906 1,114,903 Moore Oct. 27, 1914 1,154,305 Goetz Sept. 21, 1915 1,289,722 Fournier Dec. 31, 1918 1,535,411 Hansen Apr. 28, 1925 1,828,103 De Witt Oct. 20, 1931 2,185,052 Daugherty Dec. 26, 1939 

